Backbeard/Portrayals
Anime First Anime He first appears in episode #10 of the first anime adaptation, The Great Yōkai War (Part 1). Third Anime He first appears in the second movie of the third anime adaptation, GeGeGe no Kitarō: Yōkai Dai-Sensō. Fourth Anime He first appears in episode #64 of the fourth anime adaptation, Violent Race! The Yōkai Rally. Fifth Anime Backbeard first appears in episode #18 of the fifth anime adaptation, Black Eyes that Glow in the Old Castle. Sixth Anime Backbeard was the almighty leader of the Western Yōkai, and the Witches were his most loyal servants, fated to enact his will and bring forth the Brigadoon Project, using the Ring of Arcana. That is fueled by their own life-force, to turn human beings into subservient, mindless yōkai to his will, planning to turn Earth into his own "Backbeard Empire", a domain where humans are turned into lesser yōkai and yōkai-born beings are enslaved to his will. One thousand years ago, he used his physical form against a powerful foe. Some years prior, the witch community was reduced to a close-knit family, consisting of a mother and her daughters, Adél and Agnès, who Backbeard groomed for his nefarious purposes. When the little Agnès demonstrated a strong magical potential, and despite her mother attempts to hide it, Backbeard decided to enact the Brigadoon Project in his entirety. Some time before, he ordered the mother to give up her life to turn the Malay Peninsula into a part of his empire, turning the local humans into yōkai and having his followers kill the rebellious local yōkai community. Afterwards he ordered Adél to groom Agnès into being the next nucleus of the Brigadoon Project, giving up her life for him.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 29 Series Episode 27: During Adél's report that they lost track of the Ring of Arcana's signal, Backbeard scolds her and reminds her the importance of the ring for the Brigadoon Project. He leaves after Adél swears to get the ring back. Backbeard orders Adél to retrieve her sister, commencing the Great Yōkai War.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 27 Episode 28: He overhears Nezumi-Otoko utter his name, causing a light bulb in Dokkyakuki's restaurant to flicker with the pair of moths falling around it, giving the two an odd feeling as if they were glared at. During the onslaught, Backbeard himself shows up above GeGeGe Forest, bringing ruination with his inner circle of the Western Yōkai: Adél herself, Wolfgang, Carmilla and Victor Frankenstein the mad monster scientist. When Agnès is forced to use the Ring of Arcana to drive Backbeard away, he expresses happiness and satisfaction at seeing how compatible Agnès and the Ring are. As the ring is now fused to the mystical field of Japan, Backbeard promises to return, starting his Backbeard Empire from the Japanese Isles.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 28 Episode 32: Backbeard witnesses an old servant, the Western Akuma Belial regaining his mystical powers that the Elder Karasu-Tengu once sealed away from him and enacting his vengeance over the Karasu-Tengu of Daisen Springs in Sakaiminato. Able to contact him again, he orders Belial to get the Ring of Arcana for him in exchange for a place in his inner circle, leaving before anyone else could see him.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 32 Episode 34: Backbeard brings Carmilla to Japan to further test Agnés' powers, putting most of the Kitarō Family under his thrall and has Carmilla tell Nezumi-Otoko that, if he ever managed to get Agnés isolated and driven away from GeGeGe Forest, he will free his friends, leave Japan alone and let Agnés live. As such, he manages to trap Agnés into his eye, broken and defeated, antagonizing her until she agrees to fight for her freedom, with help from Kitarō and Nezumi-Otoko, thus sensing her mystical prowess has grown to its upper limit.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 34 Episode 35: Backbeard relays his discoveries and observations to Adél, ordering her to start the Brigadoon Project and move his troops in Japan.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 35 Episode 36: Backbeard gives the battle order, appearing in Japan and ordering his followers to strip Mana Inuyama of the Ring of Arcana. When Adél reveals her plan, taking the ring for herself and starting the Brigadoon Project with her own life force in exchange for Agnés' safety, he rebuffs her, berating her lesser magical aptitude. He fights Kitarō, leaving him bruised and battered and starts torturing Adél in front of her sister, blackmailing Agnés into pledging allegiance and willingly give away her life in exchange for Adél's life. The Brigadoon Project is then kicked off, with Japanese people turning into yōkai GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 36 Episode 37: A gloating Backbeard fails to notice how Adél, while grievously injured, is still able to act: Adél begs Mana to help her into saving Kitarō and Agnés, and thus Backbeard finally notices her. He first tries to stop Mana from giving Kitarō the healing gem by shooting her with his ocular rays, but as Mana is wearing the Chanchanko for her own protection, he fails, and Kitarō is restored. Impressed by Kitarō's full power as he is forced to assume a physical form, transforming himself into a grotesque cyclops with inky, black skin and starting to mercilessly beat up Kitarō, relishing in the physical sensation of a fisticuffs fight and gloating how he has not resorted to use his physical form in a thousand years. Noticing how now Adél and Mana are trying to free Agnés, he hits them at point blank, further taunting Kitarō with the memories of Miminaga's death and his wish to be a strong ruler to enforce his will over weak, lesser being, granting them peace in exchange for servitude. This enrages Kitarō, who retaliates with a finger gun ray stronger than his ocular beams, burning him to nothingness and saving Mana, Agnés, Adèl and every human turned into a yōkai, as well as causing the Western Yōkai to flee.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 37 Video games GeGeGe no Kitarō: Ibun Yōkai Kitan Akuma-kun: Demon World Trap References Category:Character Subpage